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Monday, March 12, 2012

Holder Blocks Texas Voter ID Law

As predicted, super partisan and political operative Attorney General Eric Holder has blocked the new voter id law approved by the last Texas legislative session. In the minds of liberal Americans, providing a photo identification card before being allowed to cast a vote is discriminatory. To some who would ratchet the partisan political hype to fever pitch, the new law is akin to Jim Crow laws.

Modern day politics know no shame.

The argument is a simple one - the right to vote is precious. It is a citizen's civic duty to get out and give voice to the path a community or country will take. It is precious. To deny that malfeasance does not happen or cannot not happen is to hide one's head in the sand.

In the eyes of liberal America, the new law is "controversial". Here is one example of how the denial is being reported:

A controversial new Texas law requiring voters to present personal identification before going to the polls has been blocked by the Obama administration.

In a letter Monday to state officials, the Justice Department said the legislation could have a discriminatory effect on Hispanics and other minorities.

Texas is among eight states to require official photo identification in an effort to stop what officials say is voter fraud. Opponents of the laws say they disenfranchise poor, minority, and disabled voters.

The department concluded there is little evidence of voter fraud in Texas warranting the legislative changes.

"We note that the state's submission did not include evidence of significant in-person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state's existing laws," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general.

The Hispanic population is growing at a rapid pace. In states like Texas, the Hispanic vote will become more and more important for a candidate to win office. Democrats are terrified at losing this support. Former Governor and President George W. Bush was popular with Hispanic voters and as he ran for president, received 40% of the Hispanic vote. It is no coincidence that before this election, Holder is doing what he can to claim that Texas - led by Republicans - is trying to deny minority (read Hispanic) voters the right to cast a vote.

Perez noted that the Texas law allowed voters to show military ID, a U.S. citizenship certificate, a U.S. passport or a license to carry a concealed handgun, but the state did not provide any statistics noting how many people lack state ID but have the other allowable forms.

"Nor has the state provided any data on the demographic makeup of such voters," Perez wrote.

Texas is the second state to have its voter ID law challenged. The Justice Department already blocked a similar law from taking effect in South Carolina.

For what transaction in today's world does a person not need a photo identification? To open a bank account, apply for a drivers license, receive government benefits, board an airplane, to pick up a medicine prescription and just about everything else, a person has to show a photo identification. That is why this law allows multiple ids to be presented. Plus, the state of Texas was to provide those without photo identification with one, free of charge to them.

To act as though people are incapable of getting photo identification is a farce and cynical at best. This is an ideological administration pitting Texans against each other.